Trick-or-treat is tricky this year Easton area Bethlehem area Trick-or-treat alternatives

Every year, the Bethlehem Health Bureau promotes trickor-treat safety, focusing mostly on traffic danger — urging children to look both ways before crossing a street and carry a flashlight or glow stick to increase their visibility.

This year, something else very scary is prompting safety warnings.

“Wehaveanewsafetymeasure to adhere to and that is COVID19,” said Charles Sabo, community health specialist for the city.

As Pennsylvania sees a fall resurgence of the pandemic that has killed morethan8,400people, Lehigh Valley municipalities are grappling with the best — and safest — waytohost trick-or-treat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned several weeksagothat traditional, door-to-door trick-or-treat is a high risk for spreading the virus. The agency offered suggestions for lowering risk as well as for safer alternative activities, such as having a virtual Halloween costume contest and carving pumpkins with members of your household.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Health will not be issuing any statewide rules on Halloween, said spokesperson Nate Wardle.

Thedepartment“recommends that Pennsylvanians follow CDC guidance andconsider the current spread of COVID-19 in their communities when establishing plans for safe participation in Halloween festivities,” Wardle said.

Municipalities across the Lehigh Valley are moving ahead with trick-or-treat, offering guidance and taking measures to keep everyone safe.

Easton MayorSal Panto Jr. said the city will have trick-or-treat from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31, which is an hour shorter than usual.

“People can makethe choice to not participate,” Panto said. “For the most part, we looked at it as being a voluntary event. If you don’t want to let your kids out, keep them home or turn your light off.”

Panto said he believes city residents will practice social distancing as they trick-or-treat and not clump into large groups. There would have been more of a risk of large crowds congregating if the city had held the annual Easton-Phillipsburg Halloween Parade, Panto said.

The parade was scheduled for Oct. 25, but like all the other big Lehigh Valley Halloween parades, was canceled due to the pandemic.

“The parade would have been much more dangerous,” Panto said.

Allentown area

In Allentown, trick-or-treat will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30, according to Mike Moore, city spokesperson. The Allentown Health Bureau recommends the following for residents who participate:

Leave treats outside the door instead of handing out candy, to minimize interaction.

Makesurechildren take andeat only prepackaged candy.

Instead of answering the door, sit outside to greet people, maintaining 6-feet of social distancing.

Use hand sanitizer and wear a mask when close to others or indoors.

Allentown is also encouraging trick-or-treaters to limit their visits to their immediate neighborhoodandlet their family know what houses they visited, to aid contract tracing should someone contract COVID-19.

Bethlehem’s trick-or-treat night is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30. Sabo andtheBethlehemHealthBureau offer guidance on costumes.

Many times, a costume will include a scary or cute mask, but those are not going to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Trick-ortreaters will need to wear protective masks with their costumes. It’s important to not wear a COVID mask under a Halloween mask because that could make breathing difficult.

Sabo said they advise kids to trick-or-treat with people in their household and not go with large groups.

Along with masks, hand hygiene has been critically important throughout the pandemic and will be during trick-or-treat. Sabo said people should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before and after trick-ortreating.

While out, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

And don’t forget to look both ways before crossing the street.

“Again, we still want to stress the importance of safety this year whether it be pedestrian, motor vehicle, andCOVID-19,” Sabosaid.

Here are some of the suggestions on lower-risk Halloween activities from the CDC:

Carve or decorate pumpkins with your household or outside with friends.

Decorate your house or apartment.

Have a Halloween scavenger hunt, where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk from house to house admiring decorations at a distance.

Have a virtual Halloween costume contest.

Have a Halloween movie night with people you live with.

Have a scavenger hunt-style trick-or-treat search with your household in or around your home rather than going house to house.